England flops try to keep a low profile as they skulk back into the country after crashing out of Euro 2016
THE England team kept a low profile as they landed back into the country this afternoon following their humiliating exit at Euro 2016 at the hands of minnows Iceland.
Players including Jamie Vardy and Harry Kane appeared to hide under umbrellas as they arrived home after becoming the laughing stock of Europe.
The team of multi-millionaires landed back into Luton airport this afternoon in the pouring rain and seemed to want to make a quick exit into the fleet of waiting cars.
Eric Dier, Gary Cahill and Dele Alli all looked glum as they arrived back in the UK – a marked change from smirking former manager Roy Hodgson earlier in the day.
Captain Wayne Rooney cut a lonely figure as he flew home into Manchester airport.
He was joined by Joe Hart, Chris Smalling and James Milner.
Earlier in the day some of the team's belongings - including a guitar, a coffee machine and golf clubs - were seen being packed up.
Hodgson was forced to quit as national team boss in disgrace after his teams woeful 2-1 defeat to Iceland last night.
He said: “I am sorry it will have to end this way, but these things happen.”
Today Hodgson was first on to the coach as the players left their luxurious team hotel in Nice.
Pictures showed him smiling as the team made their way home.
His apparent cavalier attitude will enrage the thousands of Three Lions’ fans who made the journey to France.
Former Inter and Fulham boss Hodgson is now facing retirement after he flopped at a major international tournament for the second time in two years.
In a frosty press conference held today Hodgson told the waiting journalists: “I don’t really know what I’m doing here.
“I thought my statement last night was sufficient.
“My time as England manager has been and gone, but I was told it was important for everybody that I appear.”
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The national team's lion mascot was nowhere to be seen as the players arrived home – it had earlier been seen being lobbed in the back of a lorry.
Captain Wayne Rooney earlier was forced to deny reports that Hodgson lost the dressing room.
Reports had emerged that senior players lost confidence in Hodgson over his team selection and tactics.
In a statement, Rooney said: “In response to recent media reports, I’d like to say that [suggestions senior players lost faith in manager Roy Hodgson are completely untrue.”
Celebrity fans, including Rolling Stone's legend Mick Jagger, were in Nice to witness the woeful performance.
There was more misery after the final whistle for fans who had forked out thousands to cheer on the feckless players.
Transport strikes and demonstrations across France meant travel chaos and missed flights adding to the suffering.
Frustration turned to violence in a Paris fan zone as a scrap broke out in the French capital.
The Welsh squad were filmed laughing and celebrating as their hapless Home Nations rivals crashed out last night.
The FA chief executive officer made the shock admission today during Hodgson’s final England press conference.
Speaking about the reaction to the defeat, Glenn scored the own goal of conceding that he is no expert on the game, far from it.
He said: “I am not a football expert but when I went to the changing room last night, the scene was devastation and personal grief.”
The players and the FA now face a lot of soul searching over the next few weeks as they try to assess what went wrong.